


Her Boots and the Sun

by RedLlamas



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: F/F, Starship Enterprise (Star Trek), Sun/Moon parallels, sun and moon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-01
Updated: 2017-12-01
Packaged: 2019-02-09 04:25:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12880137
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedLlamas/pseuds/RedLlamas
Summary: Written for Star Trek Femslash Big Bang 2017.Christine is in love with the Sun.





	Her Boots and the Sun

**Author's Note:**

> Title partly inspired by and fic entirely inspired by "[My Boots](https://youtu.be/hiLHe3mkJf0)" by Lights

Nyota was like the sun, in that Christine never could look directly at her, having to sneak glances, being hot and flustered when she was here, and complaining when she was gone. Christine could only ever see her clearly when Nyota left the room, and it was to bemoan the fact that she never truly appreciated how beautiful the sunset is.

Christine saw her the first day of college. She was resplendent, glowing in the sunlight as she walked up the stairs. She had smiled at Christine, and walked inside. Christine thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world.

As they became friends and grew closer during those years, Christine came to the conclusion that Nyota was also the most brilliant woman she'd ever have the pleasure of meeting.

When they graduated, Christine was going into bio-research and Nyota was assigned to a ship. Christine was sad to see her go, but then she met Roger, and she fell in love.

Roger disappeared. So she went to find him.

She had to join Starfleet. She could do that.

She was given a blue uniform and black boots. Blue for her medical background, boots for her future expeditions.

They’ll last a long time, the girl at the counter said. Mine have lasted countless moons.

Christine dons the blue and the boots. She is assigned to the Enterprise, under the command of Captain Kirk. She is the head nurse who works with the head doctor, Doctor McCoy.

She meets Second Officer Spock, and thinks he’s rather fancy. She begins to suspect she might fancy him.

Spock had shown her around the Enterprise on her first day, maybe that’s why she became so attached to him. But she owes him her life, because she walked straight into another girl, distracted she was by the windows and the view they provided. After getting up and helping pick up the scattered papers, she looked up at the girl, and felt her heart skip a beat.

It was Nyota. She had a red uniform and black boots, boots that’ll last countless moons.

Christine shook her head, rising so that she can hand Nyota the remaining papers.

“Oh, thank you,” Nyota said, taking them back. She smiled at her, having to look up even with the slight heel in her boots. “I’m sorry for running into you like that.”

Nyota didn’t recognize her. “Oh no, I’m the one who should be sorry, I was distracted by the view,” Christine explained, gesturing to the grand vista the windows offered. Nyota smiled fondly at the stars, and Christine felt all her old feelings resurging. The sun, the light, the warmth – Christine didn’t think she’d ever feel sunshine ever again.

“Oh, it’s fine. Every once in awhile, I remember to look up.” Nyota did just that, and it seemed that the stars shined brighter for one of their own.

“Uhura, I was just showing Chapel around the Enterprise. If you will excuse us, we will finish the last leg,” Spock said, smooth voice like velvet. Nyota looked back at him and nodded, smiling at Christine.

“Well, I’ll leave you to it. Welcome aboard, Ms. Chapel,” Nyota said, and continued on her way.

Christine bid her adieu and saw her go. Spock neared her and asked, “Do you know Lieutenant Uhura, Ms. Chapel?”

Christine looked at him and nodded. “It seems that she doesn’t remember me. We were friends, best friends, back in university.”

Spock thought about this. “Perhaps she didn’t initially recognize you. It has been several years since you two have last seen each other. Just give her some time, and I’m sure that her memories of you will resurface.”

Wow. “Thank you, Mr. Spock. Now, shall we continue?”

“Oh yes, thank you for reminding me. Now, this floor has…”

A few days. A few days and Nyota will remember her. That’s all it’ll take.

  


They missed each other for a month, and the only reason why they even saw each other at all was when Christine brought Kirk papers to sign off medicines. While the Captain spoke to his Second Officer (and conveniently forgot the papers), Christine walked to Nyota. She was listening intently to static fuzz, and had to touch her shoulder to get her attention. Nyota looked as if shaken from a stupor and was elated to see Christine.

“Chapel!” she exclaimed, setting down her headset. “How have you been?”

Chapel. It seems that they’ll need another month.

“I’m doing well, thank you. I’m here because the Captain needs to give us the okay for some vaccines.”

“Oh.”

“Yes. What have you been up to?” Christine leaned on the rail, propping her face with her hand. Nyota smiled at the sight, finding her adorable. She leaned close to the rail and said, “I’ve been listening to static and trying to see if I can hear any incoming messages to relay to the Captain.” They both looked up at the Captain who suddenly got up, put Sulu in charge, and headed out to the elevator.

Christine sighed.

“I guess we have to illegally heal the sick engineers.”

Nyota’s laugh could have cured the lepers.

  


After that, they found time for each other. They’d walk to the rec center together, eat together, stargaze together. Any time McCoy needed papers signed or had to give reports to the Captain, Christine offered to go. She’d take any chance she could to see Nyota again. It had gotten to the point where Sulu would momentarily stop his work to make noises at the girls. Nyota slapped his shoulder, and Sulu went back to driving the ship.

For Kirk, she was a welcoming presence. She had even become a good friend to him. When he’d asked her why she joined Starfleet, she had to remember.

“To find my fiance.”

Has he disappeared? Yes. How long? Five years. What was the last you’d heard of him? He was on planet Exo III. One day his messages just stopped coming.

Would you like help?

… “That’d be very kind of you, Captain.”

“Please, call me Kirk.”

“Kirk.”

He’d promised her they’d get there, one day. Christine thanked him and left. When Nyota asked her later on why she was so different today, Christine told her she was engaged to a missing man.

“Oh.”

“Yes.”

After the Psi 2000 fiasco, the Enterprise managed to reach Exo III. Kirk and Christine beamed down, and found Roger. But it wasn’t Roger.

Back on board, Christine sat in her room and felt tears falling down her cheeks.

  


She decided to stay, with the Enterprise and her crew. She liked seeing things to an end, and now that she became a widow, she had nothing tying her down.

She had one thing.

It was as big as the sun.

  


Spock became her friend. Well, she thought they were friends. She had to direct her grief somewhere, and to her surprise, it was directed to Spock. Spock seemed like such a nice man, sarcastic and witty. He was rather fond of her, too. He’d give her guidance and advice on how to navigate the ship. She’d thank him.

Christine had seen him. Seen the way he looks at Kirk. The man may claim to not have feelings, but she saw him.

The tragic thing is, she’d also seen how Kirk looks at him.

They reminded her of how she looked at Nyota. No one had said anything about it, and Nyota seems not to have picked up on it. Christine, though regretfully, thanked the Heavens that she didn’t. Even though she wants the sun to look at her, she is but a dwarf.

One day, Spock pulled her aside, and said, “Ms. Chapel, it seems to me that you are afflicted with something. May I ask what it is?”

“Oh, I’m fine, Mr. Spock.”

“Are you sure? Because it seems that whenever you come to the bridge, you’re very happy and even have a bounce in your step. But during the time you’re there, you become nervous and agitated. Then when you leave, you walk quickly.”

Christine blushed under the scrutiny. “I do?”

Spock nodded. “Do you have any problems with the bridge personnel to cause such reactions?”

She looked away and shook her head.

“Because if you do, it would be best to confront the crewmember and tell them how you feel.”

She looked up at him at that. “Tell them how I feel? What type of advice to come from you, Mr. Spock.” She grinned at him and he sighed.

“Ms. Chapel, it’s illogical to keep things to yourself. If someone makes you feel a certain way, the only clear thing to do is to tell them, regardless of consequence. That way, you’ll be able to come to a solution, together.”

“Mr. Spock, then wouldn’t it be logical to talk to the Captain?”

“Why would I –” he stopped, realizing what she meant. He closed his mouth and straightened his posture.

“I will speak to the Captain once you speak to the Lieutenant.”

Christine raised her eyebrows.

“My dear Christine,” he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. He never touches anyone.

“Don’t be afraid to seek out the Sun. I know I have gazed at the Moon fondly enough to be filled with wonder and enchantment. Just because you can’t see the Sun doesn’t mean it’s not there.”

He patted her shoulder and left.

Christine was left in the middle of the hallway, thinking about stars and moons and celestial bodies and their movements.

  


The sun is sometimes too bright.

Christine was sitting by a window, looking down at her dark black boots. She had messaged Nyota to come see her, if she could spare the time.

“Of course I can spare the time!” Nyota had eagerly said.

Christine looked up at the sound of boots clicking on the floor. Everyone had boots, but these were special.

Nyota glided and it seemed she beckoned the light to her. Christine felt the urge to fix her hair. She stood up instead and held her hands to Nyota, who took them and smiled at her.

“Christine, hello, what happened?” Nyota led them to where Christine was originally sat. Christine looked down at their clasped hands, closed her eyes, and decided to look at the sun.

“Nyota, do you remember me?”

Nyota’s breath hitched. “What do you mean?”

“Nyota, when I first saw you, I was struck by the memory of you. We were best friends in university, then you left for Starfleet and I went into bioresearch. Then I met Roger, and we fell in love, and he left, and he died, and it doesn’t really matter, because even though I joined Starfleet looking for him, I stayed in Starfleet to look at you. And –” Christine paused, feeling her face already red with embarrassment at her own words. Nyota looked at her with adoring eyes.

Christine gulped. She could drown in the brown abyss that are her eyes.

She looked into the stellar abyss instead.

“Do you remember me?”

A moment passed. Christine felt a hand holding her cheek, guiding her to look back at Nyota.

“I never forgot you.”

“No?” Christine perked up at that.

Nyota shook her head. “No. I knew who you were, I didn’t know if you remembered me?”

“How could I forget the woman I love after only a few years?”

Nyota raised her eyebrows. “You love me?”

For once, Christine didn’t know what to say. So she nodded.

Nyota held her hands, and made Christine the happiest woman in the world by saying,

“I love you too.”

  


Later on, Kirk was the one crying when he married them. Christine and Nyota kissed and the room applauded for them. They were happily married, and would continue to love each other for the rest of their years.


End file.
